Hickory Farms Helps Keep Traditions Alive #HickoryTraditions

Traditions matter to my family because they help pass on a part of those who are no longer with us. Traditions are like those family heirlooms we pass down but we can’t lose them, they can’t be broken or stolen. Our family traditions live in our hearts. They are special things we do to honor our loved ones and to make special memories. One year Noah and I carved our pumpkin together and we called it Pumpkee. Noah cried so hard when we had to throw it away. I told him that Pumpkee could come back the next year. So, now for the last three years Pumpkee has come back each year. I told him that we have to keep Pumpkee alive forever by making him each Halloween. He has to make Pumpkee with his children and grandchildren every year. I explained to him that’s how you keep traditions alive. You have to keep doing them. That way a part of us lives on forever.

We like to set out our manger each year. This year Noah did it all by himself. He did an amazing job. The tradition of the manger from my grandparents is that the camels and the three kings move across the family room each day to the manger. We don’t do that tradition for some reason. We just set it all up, using some of the pieces from my grandparents’ manger. Another tradition we like to do at Christmas time is look at lights. We go to the same farm place where they have an amazing light display. We used to take my Grandma Rose to see the lights.  Last year my aunt and uncle were here for Christmas for the first time since 1994. We all loaded up and their truck with the dogs and looked at the lights. My Aunt loved it. They live in the mountains so they don't really see a lot of Christmas lights. When we lived in Florida, we watched the lighted boat parade. It was really cool to see all the boats all lit up with music and Santas. It was very different than what I was used to growing up in the cold where the only water was frozen or falling from the sky in the form of snow.

Traditions are very important to Hickory Farms too. They are a staple when you think of the holidays. Hickory Farms always provides fresh and delicious gift items and products to help spending time together easy and fun.  I love going to Hickory Farms at the mall because they allow you to sample products.  You don’t have to wonder if you will like something, because you can try it. I saw that they had Peppermint Melts and I was curious if I would like them because I love the Mini Meltaways so much. I was so excited when the lovely woman offered us a sample to try. She also said we could sample any of the products they had available.

 Hickory Farms offers a wide variety of products:

a. Hickory Farms offers a wide variety of food gifts that are perfect for any budget and for everyone on your list this year.

b. Quality, freshness and value are key traits of Hickory Farms’ gift and products. 

c. Hickory Farms Signature Summer Sausage has been awarded the Masters of Taste Gold Medal for Superior Taste for having the #1 Summer Sausage in America. 

d. New to Hickory Farms this year is a decadent White & Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark:

A custom blend of creamy white chocolate and dark chocolate made from West African Cocoa beans, hand swirled with pure mint and topped with crushed candy cane pieces.

· Charitable Giving:

a. Hickory Farms is proud to support No Kid Hungry®. No Kid Hungry is, working to end childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need every day.

b. Hickory Farms has contributed more than $4 million to No Kid Hungry since 2008.  For every Signature Party Planner purchased this holiday season, Hickory Farms will donate $5 to No Kid Hungry. 

c. As a supporter of the U.S. Armed Forces, the company provides year

round complimentary shipping on select products to military addresses across the globe to ensure families can send loved ones warm wishes and a favorite taste from home.

Visit www.hickoryfarms.com for details.

Disclaimer: Compensation and products for review were provided by Hickory Farms via MomTrends. I received a free sample of the product for the purpose of this review.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Hickory Farms. 

How to Choose Patio Materials

There's a variety of materials on the market for outdoor patios, but it's important to choose one that fits your lifestyle and complements your home. When choosing a patio material, look at important performance features as well as cost.

Important Features

Since outdoor patios are exposed year-round to the elements, make sure the material you choose will hold up well to sun, heat, cold, rain and snow.

Durability – Choose a material that fits your lifestyle and climate conditions. If you have kids and pets, easy cleaning and maintenance is important. Look for a material that will resist stains, spills, cracking and chipping, so outdoor entertaining is easier and more enjoyable.

Porosity – If you live in an area with harsh, cold winters with snow and ice, your patio materials will be exposed to the freeze/thaw cycle. Porous materials will absorb water easier. If the water freezes at night, then thaws out the next day, that process can crack and dislodge patio tiles.

Non-Slip Surface – Outdoor patio materials can become slippery when wet, so it's important to choose a material with a non-slip, slightly abrasive surface. A non-slip surface will protect your family from falls and injuries on the patio.

Good Patio Materials

Natural Stone

Natural stone will create a beautiful patio that will complement any home style. Stone pavers or tiles are available in granite, marble, slate, travertine and limestone in a variety of sizes and shapes. They come in a variety of colors and finishes, including tumbled or honed finishes that offer a non-slip surface. Most natural stones, except granite, are rather porous, so talk to your contractor about using a sealer for added protection.

Brick

Brick pavers are durable and easy to maintain. When wet, brick dries quickly in the sun and doesn't typically require a sealer for protection. Brick pavers are perfect for a classic, traditional look, especially when laid in herringbone patterns rather than straight patterns. Brick colors range from typical red to muted shades of brown, tan and green.

Concrete

Concrete pavers are strong, durable and resilient with a natural slip-resistant surface. They will easily withstand freezing ground temperatures without cracking or chipping and don't need a sealer. Now available in more than 30 pre-mixed colors and 15 stains, concrete pavers offer a stylish look at an affordable price. Talk to a patio contractor in your area to get free quotes.

Travel Friendly Cookie Ideas

While you are traveling to see family and friends this holiday season, it’s always great to bring a little gift to them. I love doing holiday baking, so I really enjoy sharing my baked goods. I cannot possibly eat them all without a horrible stomach ache and gaining lots of weight. It’s always fun to get your kids involved in the kitchen while you bake. You could always pick up a bottle of wine or a cheese platter at the grocery store but homemade gifts are so much more fun. I thought I would share a couple really simple ideas to make some delicious cookies to share.  Honestly, it’s sort of homemade, I know sometimes we don’t have time with holiday shopping or parties to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It may sound kind of boring because the recipes use packaged cookie mixes but it’s all about how to dress them up to make them extra delicious.

Here’s the recipe for Reese’s Cup Cookies, which are my favorite holiday cookie. I don’t know why I don’t make them the rest of the year, they are so easy and so good.

Boxed peanut butter cookie dough mix

Items that are needed to make the dough, check the back

A bag of Reese’s miniature cups.

Mix up the peanut butter cookie dough following the directions on the box. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Make balls of dough and place them in a muffin pan

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Immediately place an unwrapped Reese’s cup on the top of the cookie and press gently. 

Letting the kids unwrap the candies is a fun job for them. It’s best to unwrap them ahead of time because you have to do it immediately.

Return the cookies back to the oven for 1 minute and then remove and cool.

You can also do the same thing with Kisses. Just roll the dough in sugar.

Sugar cookies are always fun to decorate and give to others. It can be really easy if you use a good quality sugar cookie mix. 

Just mix it up and roll it out.  Make sure you have holiday themed cookie cutters. Let them cool. 

Have fun with lots of frosting, sprinkles, red hots and candy.  Your kids can make a special cookie for their loved ones.  It’s all about the decorating and decking the halls of the cookie.  You can also crush up some candy canes in the dough or add caramel bits for extra flavor and color.

The good thing about cookie ideas I gave you is that they will travel well in the car. The cookies are very sturdy so you won’t have to worry about arriving with a bunch of crumbs.